Former Jersey City union official pleads guilty to accepting bribe

Star-Ledger photoA former Jersey City union official pleaded guilty today to accepting bribes.

A Belleville man who was the former business manager of a Jersey City ironworkers union admitted accepting a $10,000 cash bribe in federal court today, and now faces up to five years in prison.

James J. Kearney Sr., 76, pleaded guilty to unlawful receipt of a prohibited labor payment. Kearney was the business manager for the Local 45 of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Ironworkers union at the time of his November 2011 arrest.

Today, Kearney admitted accepting $10,000 in exchange for handing over "union books" - proof of union membership - to a construction official who was an undercover operative for the government. The official told Kearney he wanted the books so he could hire non-union workers on a construction project, according to federal officials.

On Nov. 14, his son, James J. Kearney Jr., 44, of Bayonne, the former secretary treasurer of the same union, pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $560,000 from the union.